After the panel, Aluko visited NME backstage to share some advice for young people who are striving to achieve their life and career goals.

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“You’re your own best competition,” she said. “You’re in control of that destiny and you can always better yourself and push yourself. Don’t look to the left and right at what other people are doing. Make sure you put yourself in the best position to reach your dream.”

Aluko – who has represented England more than 100 times – added: “But also, the main thing for me is, I would have loved for somebody when I was younger to tell me: ‘You will fail at some point.’ And it’s how you do deal with that failure and not let it get too much to you. Because if you do [let it become too much], it can distract you. Actually embrace that failure and take from it what you can.”

Watch the full interview with Aluko below.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/?bctid=5664303931001

NME teamed up with University of Salford and youth initiative Create Jobs to lay on the #Lifehacks event at London’s Islington Metal Words on 23 November. The aim was to inspire and inform young people who are thinking about pursuing careers in the creative industries. Here’s the full story of the event in pictures.